Folding wheel chair



July 3, 1945. s. DUKE 2,379,565

FOLDING WHEEL CHAIR Filed May 27, v194s 4 sheets-sheet 1 fifa rn e3@ July 3, 1945.

S. DUKE FOLDING WHEELV CHAIRl Filed May 27, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 s DUKE FOLDING WHEEL CHAIR Filed nay 27.' 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 3, 1945.

,July 3, 1945.

s. DUKE FOLDING WHEEL CHAIR Filed May 27, 1943 'I 4 sheets-sheet 4 y 5am ae Patented July 3, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING WHEEL onlinr Sam Duke, Chicago, IIL Appucaaon my 21, 1943, serial No. 433,043

13 claims. (ci. 15s-so) This invention relates to a folding wheel chair.

More particularly, this invention relates to a folding wheel chair of the type or character` intended for use by invalids in homes, hospitals, and like places, as well as for limited outside use upon sidewalks and other relatively ilat hard surfaces.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved and relatively simplevbut strong and efficient folding wheel chair which may be readily folded and stored or transported in a relatively small space such, for example, as in the rear seat compartment or trunk of an automobile in railway baggage cars, and like places, as and when necessary.

A further object of the invention is to construct and arrange the new folding wheel chair in such a manner that the seat-supporting unit embodied therein is yieldably mounted upon' the wheelbearing undercarriage embodied in the new folding wheel chair whereby the chair readily lends itself to comfortable riding by the occupant thereof.

An additional object of the invention is to construct and arrange the new folding wheel chair in such a manner as to secure in a novel manner and by novel means a limited amount or degree of flexibility enabling it to move readily over relatively small obstructions upon sidewalks or like comparatively flat places von which it may be operated.

An additional object of the invention is to provide in the new folding wheel chair a novel mounting of the seat-supporting unit upon the wheelbearing undercarriage of the new folding wheel chair.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel bracing unit for bracing the seat-- supporting unit of the new folding wheel chair.

A further object of the invention is to provide in the new folding wheel chair a novel combination arm rest and back rest unit which may be detachably mounted upon the seat-supporting unit of the new folding wheel chair in such a manner that the said combination arm rest and back rest u'nit may be readily detached from the seat-supporting unit to enable the chair to be readily placed, when folded, in a relatively small space such, for example, as in the trunk or back seat compartment of an automobile, or like space, either for the purpose of transporting or storing the new folding chair. 1'

Another object of lthe invention is to provide a novel operative connection between the lower vertically extending front and rear leg sections and sections to enable' and facilitate movement of these partsrelativeto each other, during movement of the operating parts of the new folding chair from its normal or open and extended and eifective position into folded position, as well as during movement of the said operating parts from the folded position into open and extended and effective position.

An additional object of the present invention is to construct 'and arrange the wheel-bearing undercarriage and the seat-supporting unit and the bracing unit for the seat-supporting unit of the new folding wheel chair in such a manner and relative to each other so that the new folding chair possesses a limited amount or degree of flexibility or racking movement enabling the driving wheels thereof always to remain in tractionai engagement with the supporting surface over whichthey are traveling and notwithstanding irregularities in said supporting surface which one of the driving wheels may encounter.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel means in the new folding wheel chair for affording the limited exibility or rack-.

ing movement referred to above and the consequent constant tractional engagement' of both of the driving wheels with the supporting surface over which they are travelling without employing the unsatisfactory slidable mounting of the tubular sleeves on the lower ends ofthe tubular diagonally intersecting bracing members and the unsatisfactory loose slidable arrangement of the tubular bracing members on their pivotal mounting, or the loose slidable connection between the horizontally extending seat-supporting bars and the vertical legs of the chair, as employed in certain prior art folding wheel chairs, thereby eliminating the-use of such loose slidable connections .reference to the accompanying drawings which,

by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying .those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those the upper yvertically extending front and rear les i515v in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the new folding wheel chair showing the same in open or extended and eifective position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the new folding wheel chair, as shown in Fig. l, and showing the same in open or extended and effective position;

Fig. 3 is a side'elevational view of parts of the new folding wheel chair, showing the same in folded position, and with the combination back rest and arm rest unit removed therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of those parts of the new folding wheel chair in the position in which they are shownin Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the new combination 'arm rest and back rest unit embodied in the new folding wheel chair and as it appears when removed from the body of the new folding wheel chair and when in folded position;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the new combination arm rest and back rest unit embodied in the new folding wheel chair in the same position in which it is shown in Fig. 5; y

Fig; 7 is a sectional top plan view on line I-l in Fig. 1 showing the wheel-bearing undercarriage and parts of the seat-supporting and bracing units embodied in the new folding wheel chair, in open or extended and effective position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in vertical section, and partly in elevation, showing the construction of the seat-supporting unit, and of the wheel-bearing undercarriage, the construction of the bracing unit for the seat-supporting unit, and the novel manner in which the combination arm rest and back rest unit are detachably connected to the seat-supporting unit; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail view, on line 9-8 in Fig. 1, showing the construction of one of the two foot rest units embodied in the new folding wheel chair. Y

A typical and preferred embodiment of the new folding wheel chair is shown in the drawings, wherein it is generally indicated at I0, and comprises a supporting frame, generally indicated at II, and which includes a wheel-bearing undercarriage I2, a seat-supporting umt I3, a diagonal bracing unit I I for the seat-supporting unit I3, and a combination arm rest and back rest unit I5, al1 of which parts are constructed and related to each other in a manner which will be described hereinafter.

As shown in the drawings, and particularly in Fig. 8, the wheel-bearing undercarriage I2 comprises a pair of horizontally extending spaced tubular metal bottom runners I6, which extend from the front to the rear of the chair, a short tubular stationary metal sleeve 65 is mounted on the front| end portion of ,each of the horizontally extending tubular bottom runners I6 and is rigidly secured thereto by a suitable fastening element 66 (Fig. 8) Similarly, a short tubular stationary. metal sleeve 69 is mounted on the rear end portion of each of the horizontally extending tubular bottom runners Ii and is yrigidly secured thereto by a suitable fastening element 10 (Fig. 8)

As shown in the drawings, a tubular metal spacing collar or sleeve 12 is arranged upon the central portion of each of the horizontally extending tubular bottom runners I6 between the rear end of the stationary front sleeve 65 and the front end of the stationary rear sleeve 69 thereon (Fig. 8)

A vertically extending tubular metal lower front leg section I1 is carried by and isl integrally connected ai; its lower end to each of the short stationary tubular sleeves B5, as by welding or the like, and a -vertically extending tubular metal lower rear leg section I 8 is carried by and is integrally connected at its lower end to each of the short stationary sleeves 69 (Fig, 8).

A pair of relatively small front caster wheels IS are swivelly mounted upon the undercarriage I2 of the new folding chair, below the lower tubular front leg sections I'i thereof, and in any suitable manner, as by means of a swivel mounting unit which includes a tubular supporting arm 'II attached to each of the short stationary tubular metal sleeves 65, and a relatively large driving wheel 20 is rotatably journaled in an axle or bearing housing 2l which is carried by and integrally secured to the vertically extending tubular lower rear leg I 8 of the wheeled undercarriage I2, and at the rear thereof (Fig. 8).

The seat-supporting unit I3 comprises a pair of spaced horizontally extending tubular metal seat-supporting members or runners 22. Each of these horizontally extending tubular seat-supportingmembers or runners 22 is integrally connected at its front end, as by welding, to a tubular upper front leg section 23 and each of the horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members or runners 22 is similarly integrally con- Y nected at its rear end to a tubular upper rear section 24 (Fig. 8).

As best shown in Fig. 8, the tubular upper front and rear legsections 23 and 24 are slidably and telescopically mounted in the somewhat larger tubular lower front and rear leg sections Il and I8, respectively, and a resilient cushioning member in the form of a metal coil spring 25 is mounted in the lower portion of each of the tubular lower leg sections Il and I8 and, as shown in Fig. 8, the upper tubular leg sections 23 and 24 bear, at their lower ends, upon the coil springs 25 and are resliently cushioned thereby.

A stationary tubular metal spacing collar or sleeve 26 surrounds the central portion of each of the horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members or runners 22 and is rigidly secured thereto by suitable fastening elements 28 and 29. A flexible fabric or cloth seat 21 is attached, at its side edges, by the fastening elements 28 and 29, to each of the horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members 22 and to the central stationary tubular sleeves 26 carried thereby. As shown in Fig. 8, the front and rear side edge portions of the flexible fabric seat 21 are also attached, as at 30, to the front and rear end portions of the tubular seat-supporting members or runners 22.

The new folding wheel chair includes a novel combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 which is shown in detail in Fig. 5 and which comprises a pair of horizontally extending tubular arm rests 3I, each of which has a depending front section 32, and each of these depending front sections 32 has a reduced lower end portion 33. The combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 also includes a pair of upwardly extending tubular back rest supporting posts 34, which are integrally joined to the rear end portions of the horizontally extending arm rests 3 I. Each of the back rest supporting posts 34 includes a rearwardly extending portion V35 which is provided with a hand grip 36. As also shown in Fig. 5, each of the back rest :toracico supporting posts 34 includes a lower or depending section 31 and each of these lower or depending sections 31 has a reduced lower end portion 38.

As shown in the drawings, and particularly in Figs. and 6, the new folding wheel chair includes a exible fabric' or cloth back rest 38 and this is assembled the reduced lower end portions 33 'of the depending iront sections 32 of the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 are telescopically inserted into the upper portions of the vertically extending tubular upper front leg sections 23 ofthe seat-supporting unit I3. As shown in Fig. 8, the said reduced lower end portions 33 of the depending front sections 32 of the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 are detachably connected tothe upper portions of the tubular upper front leg sections 23 by latchlng elements in the form of thumb screws 4I which are threaded through suitable threaded openings 42 provided therefor in the tubular upper leg sections 23 and through a corresponding opening 43-pro vided therefor in each of the reduced lower end portions 33 of the depending front sections 32 of the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5. As is also shown in Fig. 8, each of the thumb screws 4I has an inner end portion 44 which projects into the front end portion of the adjacent horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting member or runner 22, thus eiecting a detachable interconnection between the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 and the tubular upper front leg sections 23 of the seat-supporting unit I3.

A similar arrangement is provided for detachably interconnecting the reduced lower end portions 38 of the depending rear sections 31 of the combination arm rest and back unit l5 with the vtubular vertically extending upper rearleg sections 24, this being accomplished by means of latchihg elements in the form of thumb screws 4Ia and associated parts 42a, 43a and 44a which are similar to the correspondingly numbered parts 4l, 42, 43 and 44, respectively.

The bracing unit I4 embodiedin the new folding chair comprises `a pair of diagonally intersecting tubular metal iront bracing members 45 and 48 and a corresponding pair of diagonally intersecting rear tubular metal bracing members 45a and 48a, respectively. As shown in the drawings, and particularly in Figs. 7 and, 8, each of the tubular front bracing members 45 and 48 is provided at its lower end with a tubular metal sleeve 41 and each of thesetubular metal sleeves 41 is swiveled upon the front end portion of one of the lower horizontally extending tubular bottom runners I 8, between the front end of the adjacent central tubular spacing collar 12 and the rear end of the adjacent tubular front stationary sleeve 85.

Each of the tubular bracing members 45 and 48 is provided at its uppery end with a tubular metal sleeve 48 and each of these tubular metal sleeves 48 is swivelly mounted upon one of the tubular horizontally extending seat-supporting members 22, forwardly of the front end of the in Fig. 8.

t 4 Similarly, each ofl the rear tubular bracing members 45a. and 48a is provided at its lower end and 48a is provided at its upper end with a tubuin Fig. 8, that when the new folding wheel chair lar metal sleeve 5I and each ofthese sleeves 5I is swivelly mounted upon the rear end portion of one of the horizontally'extending tubular seatsupporting members 22 rearwardly of the central stationary spacing collar or sleeve 28.

The four tubular bracing members 45-48- 45o-48a are apertured for the passage of, and are interconnected by and pivotally mounted upon a horizontally extending pivot rod 54 which is-screw ,threaded at each end thereof for the reception of a retaining nut, as 55.

It will be noted, in this connection, that the tubular iront bracing member 45 is provided with a tubular metal collar 58 which is apertured for the passage of the pivot rod 54 and that the tubular rear bracing member 45a is provided with a similar metal collar 51 which is also apertured for the passage of the pivot rod 54. Likewise, the tubular front bracing member 48 is provided with a tubular metal collar 58 which is apertured for the passage of the pivot rod 54 and the tubular rear bracing member 48a is provided with a tubular sleeve 58 which is also apertured for the passage of the connecting rod 54, the two inner sleeves 58 and 58 being spaced by a tubular spacing collar 80 which is preferably integrally confnected at its ends to the tubular collars 58 and 58.

.As shown in Fig. 8, the two tubular collars 58 and 58 on the tubular front braces 45 and 48 are separated by a small spacing collar 8| which is carried by the pivot rod 54 and the two collars 51 and 58 on the rear tubularbracing members 45a and 48a and are similarly spaced by a small spacing collar 82 which is carried by the pivot rod 54.

Each of the vertically extending lower tubular front leg sections I1 carries, and has integrally connected thereto, a tubular depending foot rest supporting member 83 and, as shown in Fig. 8, each of these depending tubular foot rest supporting members 83 is integrally connected between its upper and lower ends as at 84, to one of the tubular stationary front sleeves 85.

Each of the tubular foot rest supporting members 83, has a forwardly and slightly upwardly vprojecting tubular portion 88 integrally connected thereto, and each of these forwardly and up- ,wardly projecting foot rest supporting portions 88 of the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 tions 44. Similarly, the reduced lower end portions 38 of the back rest posts 34--31 are telescopically inserted into the upper portions of the central tubular 'stationary sleeve 28, as best shown vertically extending tubular upper rear leg sections 24, and are detachably connected to said tubular upper rear leg sections 24 by the thumb screws or latch elements 4Ia and their inwardly projecting end pOrtions 44a.

It will also be noted that when the parts of the new folding wheel chair are assembled in open and extended or position of use, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper vertically, extending rear leg sections 23 and 24, respectively, ride upon and are cushioned by the resilient cushioning members or coil springs which are mounted in the lower portions of the vertically extending lower front and rear leg sections Il and I 8, respectively, so that the combination seat-supporting unit I 3, and the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5, which is detachably carried thereby, are effectively cushioned by this arrangement which thus provides easy and comfortable riding for the occupant of the new folding chair seated upon the flexible fabric Seat 2. This feature is of particular significance by reason of the fact that the users of the new folding wheel chair are invalids to whom comfort and easy riding is essential during the long hours many of such persons are required to spend in their wheel chairs. v

Another feature of the new folding or collapsible wheel chair is that the aforesaid cushioned mounting of the seat-supporting unit I3 and of the combination arm rest and back rest unit i5, detachably carried thereby, relative to the Wheelbearing undercarriage I2, affords a certain degree of flexibility and yieldability between or among the several structural units embodied in the new folding wheelchair, including the wheel-bearing undercarriage I2, the seat-supporting unit I3, the bracing unit I 4 for the seat-supporting unit I3, and the combination back and arm rest unit I5, and this yieldability or flexibility facilitates movement of the new folding wheel chair over and relative to comparatively slight obstructions which the chair may encounter in use as, for example, when being moved along a sidewalk or over like comparatively hard flat surfaces.

When it is desired to fold the new folding wheel chair, this may be readily done by pivoting the foot supports 61 into raised position, and then exerting slight upward lift upon the arm restsy 3 I, so as to raise the wheels I9 and 20 slightly and thus reduce frictional drag of the Iwheels I9 and 20 upon the oor or like supporting surface, and then manually pressing the sides of the chair together, whereupon the tubular sleeves 48 and 5I carried upon the upper end portions of the diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members 45, 45, a and 46a will swivel upon the horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members 22 and the tubular sleeves 41 and 50 carried upon the lower'end portions of the diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members 45, 46, 45a and 45a will swivel upon the horizontally extending bottom runners vII and the said tubular bracing members 45, 46, 45a and 46a and the tubular col-- lars 56--58-51 and 59 carried thereby will pivot upon the horizontally extending pivot rod 54, thus enabling the folding of the new folding wheel chair from its normal open or extended position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, into folded position as in Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be noted that when the new folding wheel chair is moved from its open or extended and effective position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, into collapsed or folded position as in Figs. 3 and 4, the vertically extending tubular upper front and rear leg sections 23 and 24, respectively, ride upwardly in the vertically extending tubular lower front and rear leg sections I1 and I8, respectively, in which they are slidably and telescopically mounted, and carry with them the horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members 22 and the flexible fabric seat 21, as well as the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 if the said combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 is in position of use and has not been detached from the body of the chair prior to the folding operation. This increases the overall vertical height of the new folding chair, as may be seen by comparing Figs. 3 and 4 with Figs. 1`and 2 of the drawings. However, if the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 has been removed from the body of the chair, prior to the folding operation, the overall vertical height of the chair, when in folded position as in Figs. 3 and 4, will still be maintained or confined within such limits as will enable it to be readily packed and carried in a relatively limited space as, for example, in the trunk or rear seat compartment of an automobile, or in a railway baggage car, as well as enabling the chair to be stored in folded condition in a limited stationary storage space.

When it is desired to open or extend the new folding chair from folded position, as in Figs. 3 and 4, into its normal or open and extended position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, this may be readily accomplished by exerting a slight upward lift upon the arm rests 3i so as to reduce frictional drag of the wheels I9 and 2li upon their supporting surface, while at the same time exerting an outward pull thereon, whereupon the tubular bracing members 45-46-46a-45a, and the tubular sleeves 41-48-50 and El carried thereby, will swivel as aforesaid, thus enabling the structural parts of the new folding chair to move into open or extended position, as in Figs. 1 and 2. The foot rests 6l may then be pivoted downwardly into their normal and effective position as in Figs. l and 2.

When the chair is in folded or collapsed position, as in Figs. 3 and 4, the flexible fabric seat 21, assumes a position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, between the upper end portions of the tubular bracing members 45-46-45a and 46a and the flexible fabric back rest 39 folds upon itself rearwardly of the back rest-supporting posts 34-31.

It will be understood, in this connection, that while the new folding chair has been shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 removed, the folding and. unfolding operations, described above, nevertheless are applicable to the movable or operating parts of the chair and to their relative positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in Figs. 3 and 4 since the new folding chair may be folded and unfolded or extended either with the combination arm rest,

and back rest unit l5 in position of use or detached from the body of the chair.

When it is desired to pack or transport the new folding wheel chair as, for example, in the trunk or back seat compartment of an automobile, this may be facilitated by removing the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5, and this is accomplished by removing the manually operable latching elements or thumb screws 4I and 4Ia, whereupon the reduced lower end portions 33 and 38 of the combination arm rest and back rest unit l5 may be lifted up out of the upper portions of the vertically extending upper front and rear leg sections 23 and 24, respectively, and the combination arm rest and back rest unit I5 thus detached from the body of the new folding wheel chair. This materially shortens the 4and the tubular sleeves.

overall height of the new folding chair, as may be seen by comparing Figs. 3 and 4 with Figs. 1 and 2, and this facilitates the placing of the folded chair in a relatively small space or place as, for example, in the trunk or back seat compartment of the automobile, thereby facilitating transportation of the new folding wheel chair.

It will be noted that the tubular sleeves 41 and 50 carried upon the lower end portions of the tubular bracing members 45-46-45a and 46a, and Il carried upon the upper ends of the tubular bracing members 45-48-45a and 46a, are incapable of any appreciable sliding movement upon or relative to the horizontally extending bottom runners I6 or upon or relative to the horizontally extending seatsupporting members 22, and that the tubular bracing members wise incapable of any appreciable sliding movement upon or relative to their pivotal mounting at 54.

One advantageous result of this is that the new folding wheel chair is free from the loose slidable mounting of the tubular sleeve, carried upon the lower endsv of the tubular diagonally intersecting bracing members, upon the horizontally extending bottom runners, while also being free from the loose slidable arrangement of the diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members upon their pivotal mounting or connection, as employed in certain prior folding wheel chairs, thereby not only eliminating the structural weakness of such loose slidable connections but also elmlnating the excessive wearing of the parts caused thereby.

It will be noted, in this connection, that while the loose slidable connections referred to above, and the aforesaid and other undesirable characteristics thereof, are eliminated therefrom in the new folding Wheel chair, the new folding wheel chair nevertheless possesses a suillcient flexibility or racking movement, due to the novel resilient mounting of the seat-supporting unit I3 and the vertically extending upper leg sections 23 and 24 upon and relative to the wheel-bearing undercarriage l 2 and the vertically extending lower leg sections I1 and I8 to enable the new folding wheel chair to ex or rack when one of the driving wheels engages an irregularity in the supporting surface over which the chair is travelling so as to maintain both of the driving wheels 20 in constant tra'ctional or frictional engagement with the supporting surface over which the new foldis travelling. This is especially desirable because of the fact that folding wheel chairs of the character to which the present indown into such an irregularity. Hence, the result of this would be that the said one large driv- 45-48-45a and 48a are likefrom racking or dipping cupant thereof from propelling himself or herself forwardly. However, as Pointed out hereinbefore, this diiiiculty is eiectively prevented in the new folding chair by the resilient or yieldable and slidable mounting or suspension of the wheelbearing undercarriage l2 upon the seat-supporting unit I3 through Ithe medium of the telescopically interconnected vertically extending tubular lower and upper front and rear leg sections I323 and I824 and the springs 25 and associated'parts.

It will also be tions 23 and between the lower tubular rear leg sections I8 and the upper rear leg sections 24 not only eliminates the unsatisfactory loose slidable Iconnections between the horizontally extending seat-supporting members and the vertically extending legs of the chairheretofore employed in the preferred arrangement when the chair is primarily designed for stood,

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accomextending tubular front and rear lower leg sections, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending seat-supoutside use. It will be underextending porting members and vertically extending front and rear tubular upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said horizontally extending seatvsupporting members, said vertically extending front and rear tubular upperv leg sections being slidably 'and telescoplcally connected to the said tubular vertically extending front and rear -lower les sections and resting at their lower ends upon the said resilient cushioning members, and a bracing unit including a pair of ,diagonally intersecting bracing members swivelly mounted at their4 lower ends upon the said horizontally extending bottom members and swivelly mounted at their upper ends .upon the said horizontally extending seat-supporting members.

2. A folding wheel chair as deiined in claim i in which the said ,resilient cushioning members have the form oi coil springs.

3. A folding wheel chair comprising a wheell tending front 'and rear lower leg sections, a

bracing unit including a pair of diagonally intersecting bracing' members swivelly mounted at their lower ends upon the said horizontally extending-bottom members and swivelly mounted at their upper ends upon the said horizontally extending seat-supporting4 members, a combination back rest and arm rest unit detachably conback rest unit with the said vertically extending front and rear upper leg sections.

6. A folding wheel chair comprising `a wheelbearing undercarriage including spaced horizontally extending bottom members and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower legsections carried by each of the said horizontally exv tending bottom members, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending seat-sup-l porting members and vertically extending tubular front and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said horizontally extending seatsupporting members and slidably and telescopically connected to the said vertically extending front and rear tubular lower leg sections, a bracing unit including a pair of diagonally intersectlng bracing members swivelly mounted at their lower ends upon the said horizontally extending bottom members and swivelly lmounted at their upper ends upon the said horizontally extending seat-supporting members, said folding wheel chair including a combination arm lrest and back rest unit including vertically extending front and rear posts, and the said vertically extending front and rear posts of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit havingreduced lower end portions ltelescopically receivable in the upper end portions of the said tubular front and rear upper leg sections, and means for detachably interconnecting the said reduced lower end portions of the said front and rear posts of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit to the said tubular upper front and rear leg sections.

7. A folding wheel chair comprising a wheelbearlng undercarriage including spaced horizonl tally extending bottom members and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections carried by each of the said horizontally nected to the said seat-supporting unit and including portions slidably and telescopically connected to the said tubular iront and rear upper leg sections and means for detachably interconnecting the said combination arm rest and back rest unit to the said seat-supporting unit including latch elements extending through the said tubular front and rear upper leg sections and through the said portions of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit slidably and telescopically connected thereto into the front and rear end portions of the said tubular horizontally y extending seat-supporting members. 4. A folding wheel chair as deilned in claim 3 in which the said latch elements are manually operable screw-threaded members.

5. A folding wheel chair comprising a wheelbearing undercarriage including spaced horizonvtally extendingA bottom. members and vertically front and rear lower leg sections carried by each of the said horizontally extending bottom members, a seat-supporting unitincluding spaced horizontally extending seat-supporting members and vertically extending front and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said horizontally extending seat-supporting members and slidably connected to the said vertically leg sections, a. a pair of diagonally in-v extending front and rear lower bracing unit including tersecting bracing members swivelly mounted at their lower ends upon the said horizontally extending bottom members and swivelly mounted at their upper ends upon the said horizontally extending seat-supporting members, said folding wheel chair including a combination arm rest and back rest unit, and means for detachably interconnecting the said combination arm rest and extending bottom members, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending seat-supporting members and vertically extendin g tubular front and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said horizontally extending seat-supporting members and slidably and telescopically connected to the said vertically extending front and rear tubular lower leg sections, abracing unit including a pair of diagonally intersecting bracing members swivelly mounted at their lower ends upon the said horizontally exfr tending bottom members and swivelly mounted at their upper ends upon the said horizontally extending seat-supporting members, said folding wheel chair includingl a combination arm rest and back rest unit including vertically extending front and rear posts. and the said vertically extending front and rear 'posts of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit having reduced lower end portions telescopically receivable in the upper end portions of the said tubular front and rear upper leg sections, and means for detachably interconnecting the said reduced lower end portions of the saidfront and rear posts of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit to the said tubular upper front vand rear leg sections, said means for detachably interconnecting the said reduced lower end portions of the said front and rear posts of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit to the said tubular upper front and v rear leg sections including manually operable elements projected through openings provided in the said tubular front and rear upper leg sections and through the said reduced lower end portions Q of the saidV front and back posts of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit into the iront and` rear end portions of the said tubular horizontally extending seat-supporting'members. 8. A folding wheel chair or like wheel-bearing vehicle comprising a wheel-bearing undercarrlage including spaced horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections carried by each of the said tubular horizontally extending bottom runners, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members and vertically extending tubular front and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said tubular horizontally extending seatsupporting members and slidably and telescopically interconnected with the said vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections, two pairs of spaced tubular diagonally intersecting bracing members extending between the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and the said horizontally extending tubular seatsupporting members, each of the said 'tubular bracing members having a tubular sleeve at its lower end swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and having at its upper end a tubular sleeve swivelly mounted upon one of the horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members, one of the said two pairs of diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members extending between the front portions of the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and the front portions oi the saidl horizontally extending tubular seatsupporting members and the other pair of said diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members extending between the rear portions of the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and the rear portions of the said horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members, and means interconnecting the said two pairs of diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members including a, horizontally extending pivot member extending through all of the aforesaid four tubular bracing members and having all four of the said tubular bracing members pivotally mountedr thereon.

9. A folding wheel chair or like wheel-bearing vehicle comprising a wheel-bearing undercarrlage including spaced horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections carried by each of the said tubular horizontally extending bottom runners, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members and vertically extending tubular front and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said tubular horizontally extending 'seatsupporting members and slidably and telescopically interconnected with the said vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections, said folding wheel chair including a tubular combination arm rest and back rest unit including vertically extending tubular front and rear posts having reduced lower end portions telescopically interconnected with the said tubular vertically extending front and rear upper leg sections, and said folding wheel chair including manually operable means for detachably interconnecting the said reduced lower end portions of the said tubular front and rear end posts of the said combination arm rest and back rest unit to thesaid tubular front and rear upper leg sections.

l0. A folding wheel chair or like wheel-bearing vehicle comprising a wheel-bearing undercarrlage including spaced horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections carried by each 7 of the said tubular horizontally'extending botto runners, a seat-supporting unit including spaced .,horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members and, vertically extending tubular front and lrear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said tubular horizontally extending seat-supporting members and slidably and telescopicallyl i interconnected with the said, vertically extending ltubular front and rear lower leg sections, a pair of spaced tubular diagonally intersecting bracing members extending between the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and the said horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members, each of the said tubular bracing members having a tubular sleeve at its lower end swivelly mounted upon one ofthe said horizon-` tally extending tubular bottom runners and havingat its upper end a tubular sleeve swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members, means pivotally interconnectingv the said, pair of diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members together, said folding wheel chair including a resilient cushioningI member arranged in the lower end portion of each of the said front and` rear lower leg sections and the lower end portion' of each ofthe said front and rear upper leg sections riding and bearing upon one of the said resilient cushioning members, and said foldingwheel chair including means for restraining the said tubular sleeves carried by Ithe said tubular bracing members at the lower ends thereof from longitudinal sliding movement upon and relative to the said horizontally extending .tubular bottom runners. f l'l. A folding wheel chair or like wheel-bearing vehicle comprising a wheel-bearing undercarriage including spaced horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg'sections carried by each of the said tubular horizontally extending bottom runners, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members and vertically extending tubular front and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said tubular horizontally extending seatsuppor-ting members and slidably and telescopically interconnected with the said vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections,

a pair of spaced :tubular diagonally intersecting bracing members extending between the said horizontally extending tubular bottomrunners and the said horizontally extending tubular seatsupporting members, each of the said tubular bracing members having a tubular sleeve at its lower end swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and having at its upper end a tubular sleeve swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members,

means pivotally interconnecting the said pair of diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members together, said folding wheel chair including a resilient cushioning member arranged in the lower end portion of each of the said front and rear lower leg sections and the lower end portion of each of the said front and rear upper leg sections riding and bearing upon one of the said resilient cushioning members, said folding wheel chair including means for restraining the said tubular sleeves carried by the said tubular bracing members at the lower ends thereof from longitudinal sliding movement upon and relative to the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners, and said folding Kwheel chair including means for restraining the said tubular sleeves carried by the' said ltubular bracing members at the upper ends `thereof from longitudinal sliding movement upon and relative to the said tubular horizontally extending seat-supporting members.

12. A folding wheel chair or like wheel-bearing vehicle comprising a 'wheel-bearing undercarriage including spaced horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections carried by each of the said tubular horizontally extending bottom runners, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members and vertically extending tubular front and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said tubular horizontally extending seat-supporting members and slidably and telescopically interconnected with the said vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections,-a pair of. spaced tubular diagonally intersecting bracing members extending between the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and the said horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members, each of the said tubular bracing members having a tubular sleevel at its lowerrend swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and having at its upper end a tubular sleeve swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending tubular seat-supporting members, means pivotally interconnecting the said pair voi diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members together, said folding wheel chair including a resilient cushioning member arranged in the lower end portion of each of the said front and rear lower leg sections and the lower end portions of each of the said front and rear upper leg sections riding and bearing upon one of the said resilient cushioning members, said folding wheel chair including means for restraining the said tubular sleeves carried by the said tubular bracing members at the lower ends thereof from longitudinal sliding movement upon and relative to said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners, said folding wheel chair also including means for restraining the said tubular sleeves carried by the said tubular bracing members at the upper ends thereof from longitudinal sliding movement upon asvauee and relative to the said tubular horizontally extending seat-supporting members, and said folding wheel chair including .means for restraining the said diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members against sliding movement relative to each other and upon the said means pivotally interconnecting the said diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members together.

13. A folding wheel chair or like wheel-bearing vehicle comprising a wheel-bearing undercarriage including spaced horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and vertically extending tubular front and rear lower leg sections carried by each of the said tubular horizon-tally extending bottom runners, a seat-supporting unit including spaced horizontally extending tu-bular seat-supporting members and vertically extending tubular iront and rear upper leg sections rigidly connected to the said tubular horizontally extending seatsupporting members and slidably and telescopically interconnected with the said vertically extending .tubular front and rear lower leg sections, a pair of spaced tubular diagonally intersecting bracing members extending between the said horizon-tally extending tubular bottom runners and the said horizontally extending tubular seatsupporting members, each of the said tubular bracing members having a tubular sleeve at its lower end swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners and having at its upper end a. tubular sleeve swivelly mounted upon one of the said horizontally extending .tubular seat-supporting members, means pivotally interconnecting the said pair of diagonally intersecting tubular bracing members together, said folding wheel chair including a pair of foot rest units arranged at the front thereof, each of the said foot rest units including a tubular foot rest supporting member having an upper end portion rigidly connected to one of the said vertically extending tubular lower front leg sections, and each of the said foot rest supporting members having a portion between its upper and lower ends rigidly connected to the front end portion of one of the said horizontally extending tubular bottom runners.

SAM DUKE. 

